Mune no Melody
by sailormai20
Summary: Sequel to "Like a Broken Record". In which Hikari likes Yamato, and Yamato likes Hikari, but both know a happily ever after won't simply appear. The Light refuses to take a path that will dim her own friend's lights and the bearer of Friendship refuses to hurt his friends. In the midst of a love triangle and an over-protective older brother, will love get its chance?
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

_~Hello Brand New Love~_

Like all good love stories, this story started off with our couple knowing each other. Whether they knew of the other for a minute, a day, a year or a lifetime didn't matter. They knew each other and life continued. Things were peacefully until the fire was lit.

A smile, the touch of their hands, a bit less space between them than usual was the fire starter. It was like a fire cracker, lighting up the night sky. It brought joy and excitement and there was a bit of danger involved as well.

Hikari Yagami had been annoyingly head-over-heels in love with Yamato Ishida since he and Sora had broken up. That was two years ago now. The light of the Chosen Children was more than happy to stay silent about her love. How could she go through with decision that would hurt so many when her role was to heal? She couldn't bring herself to do it, no matter how happy being with the blonde would make her.

Having just turned eighteen, Yamato was ready to throw out the feelings he felt for Hikari. He'd seen and partaken in enough conflict in his life already and he wasn't going to drag his brother and best friend into trouble more than he was worth. Hikari's sensitivity, caring attitude and the way he was just _Yamato_ around her (as he was with any of the other Chosen) rather than some music idol had made him see her in a different light about a year ago.

As with all love stories, it isn't real unless it hurts. Overcoming the struggles is only one part of the battle; once reaching each other, the couple has to fight to stay together. Love, _true love_, is always worth fighting for. So here we begin our tale of a boy and a girl, hoping and praying and fighting and giving in, but most of all, loving.

_Hello, Hello, Hello, Brand New Love~!_

329 words, 30 mins. 18/9/11

(Hikari is 15 (birthday Jan 16) and Yamato has just turned 18. Therefore this is set sometime after April 11 (his birthday) and we'll say it's been about two months since 'Like a Broken Record'. In Japan, the age of consent is 12 if you're in a relationship and 16 or 18 otherwise. So there isn't any underage situations!)


	2. Angel In The Night

The sound, the lights, the people were gathered in one of the many community halls Odaiba was host to. The Teenage Wolves were the stars of the night and it was no wonder why. Four brilliantly talented young musicians who were more than just attractive. But Yutaka, Akira and Takashi had all resigned themselves to placing second in their fans eyes. Yamato Ishida was the alpha wolf, the one with the drive, the ambition, the idea for the band in the first place. His voice resonated through the hall and the crowd sung along, completely out of tune but enjoying themselves nonetheless.

"_You are my light in the dark  
__You are the beat in my heart  
__But that is not enough  
__Will I ever be by your side?"_

Holidays had just started, so the boys had decided to kick it off with a bang. Their concert was the 'it place' right now and tickets had sold faster than you could tell Chibi-Veemon to stop stuffing his face. The rest of the Chosen had gotten seats without a problem (the perks of being friends with the lead singer also meant they could arrive with Yamato a couple of hours before the show had started) and were currently enjoying the festivities from the back of the hall.

"Isn't this so much fun?" Ken had missed the early days of the band, which had been much more intimate but just as crazy, but remembering those days, Hikari just laughed and nodded in agreement. The genius was sitting next to Koushiro who was attempting to have a discussion with Mimi.

"It's too loud in here and you're too quiet! I'm gonna go dance~!" Hikari laughed more at the pinkette's attitude and cooed a bit when she gave Koushiro a kiss on the cheek before leaving their table. Apart from the noise being too loud for conversation, they were also ridiculously squashed at their table, so the brunette couldn't blame the girl for leaving.

Despite the discomfort, she wasn't going to move. From her spot, she had a perfect view of the stage and the music, while blaringly loud, wasn't right in her ears. She may be biased considering how long she had known the blonde, but Yamato was a captivating performer. Or maybe that was less bias and more due to the fact she'd been crushing on him for years. Miyako knew of course - there was nothing that escaped her notice after all and Hikari didn't feel like she was the best at keeping secrets. But so far this one had managed to slip by relatively unnoticed, especially by those who it would hurt the most.

Currently, Takeru, the ever loyal (and occasionally embarrassing) brother, was yelling out lyrics with Mimi at the front of the group. The two were receiving odds looks for waving their digivices around (like others were doing with glowsticks) but they really couldn't have cared. Daisuke and Miyako joined them after bringing drinks back to the large group. It was a day to celebrate after all. Jyou had graduated and due to more school work in the higher levels, the Chosen didn't have as much time to spend with each other as they had once had. This was the first time since New Years Eve that they had been altogether. Why waste the opportunity doing something boring?

"_You are my light in the dark  
__You are the beat in my heart  
__Let me hold you now  
__Just like days before you started to cry"_

Tai could do nothing but call Yamato a schmooze and tease his friend, safe in the knowledge the blonde couldn't even see him, let alone snap back at him. Sora, despite their breakup, defended Yamato and told Tai to stop being a prat, leading to a cute little spat between them. More good natured humour was shared between the Chosen and was lost on the various people that came to sit with them, not being privy to their jokes.

Toward the end of the night, Hikari had slowed down laughing. It didn't happen often, but sometimes she'd get incredibly mad at Tai and Sora. It wasn't their fault. They hadn't meant to fall in love with each other and betray Yamato. Still, that didn't stop them from going behind his back while Sora was still with the singer and breaking his heart even further. Sighing, Hikari decided to go to the bathroom. She had to get away from them.

It was stupid, getting mad over something that had happened two years ago, but Yamato was more than just her friend... In her heart, at least. Miyako had said she was jealous when they were having lunch once. Hikari had been so stunned she'd knocked her drink over. The energetic girl had simply ignored her and kept on explaining her theory. As much as she hated to admit it, the older girl had a really good point.

Tai and Sora had snuck around behind everyone's backs. After people had made sure Yamato was okay with the situation, the whole scandal was forgotten and the two were just a normal couple. Miyako had pointed out that, if Yamato felt the same way Hikari did and they actually hooked up, they wouldn't be able to do the same.

"See, you're his little brother's love interest and he's your brother's best friend. Daisuke looks up to him as well at the same time as having the hots for you. Yamato ain't gonna upset those who look up to him and Taichi will murder anyone who even looks at you. He's supposed to be able to trust his best friend, but like that moron Daisuke, Tai's _way_ too stubborn and hot-headed! He won't see it as a good thing, but rather a betrayal. Boys are so stupid, don't you think? But Ken-kun..~"

Hikari had basically burst into tears at that moment so Miyako had to ditch cooing about Ken and come up with an arguement for how Tai could possibly trust his best friend. It was going pretty well until Takeru was dragged back into it and the whole arguement lost its merit. But after so long, Hikari had resigned herself to watching from afar. Yamato was everything and all she wanted, but it wasn't practical; he wasn't _safe. _Perhaps in another lifetime. Returning to the table, she put on a smile and laughed and sung along with everyone, losing herself in the moment.

By the end of the concert, the group were still in a good mood and casually waited at the back door. Naturally, the group of devoted fans waiting for their idols started screaming and cheering as soon as the boy band exited into the warm spring night, all smiles and politeness. Taichi, Daisuke and Takeru couldn't help themselves and had to join in, much to Hikari and Yamato's embarrassment. Jun, being in the front row of the loyal fans, simply glared at Daisuke and hissed a threat or two, making him laugh and run off.

"You're too much of a hag for Yamato-senpai to be interested anyway!" Seething, Jun gave Yamato a carefully wrapped gift and a kiss on the cheek before running after Daisuke. Ken was glared at for trying to protect Iori's ears from the obscenities while Mimi encouraged the older girl on with just as many threats towards the new Chosen leader.

"_I don't know what I'm gonna do  
__But I'm so crazy about you  
__Even if I don't know where to start  
__Even if my love is tearing me apart  
__I just know that you and me  
__We were always meant to be"_

"Don't you ever get sick of all those girls?" Yamato rolled his eyes and sipped his drink.  
"Not really. They're the proof we're doing something right, after all."

"And you get presents!" Daisuke had politely offered to carry the gifts the blue-eyed blonde had received, though nobody was fooled into thinking he wasn't going to look through all the parcels when he thought nobody was looking.

"Mm, yeah. Some of them are really cool. When I was in America, I got a mosaic tile as well as a new watch which didn't look cheap either. Food is common too, but I usually give it to Akira to make sure there isn't anything funky with it. Winter always brings scarves and gloves too."

"Photos and numbers?" Miyako whacked the younger goggle boy over the head while Takeru helpfully (or unhelpfully if you were Yamato) pointed out they were received all the time and were kept in a box. Yamato, incredibly flustered, tried to explain that they only kept the numbers of those who were in their fan club. They sent out personalised cards or phone messages for birthdays as well as a standard one for the Christmas/New Year holidays.

By one in the morning, they were crawling into bed. Yamato's father was working in Tokyo for a few days so he had the room to spare (and no annoying father 'kindly' waking them up before sunrise was also a bonus). Takeru and Daisuke had instantly tried to sleep next to Hikari, but Taichi had shooed them away without thinking.

"Nuh-uh kiddos! Don't even go there!" Protesting that they were just being friendly, Tai told them they could shove that 'friendliness' where the sun don't shine. Dragging them away from his sister, Tai placed his sleeping bag on her right and dragged Yamato (already in his blue sleeping bag) to her left. The blonde's head hit the floor with a thump and he stared at Hikari wide eyed.

Hoping the others would mistake her blush for anger, the brunette picked up her stuff and squeezed herself between Miyako and Mimi. "Wasn't Yamato supposed to be the one with the sibling complex?" Thankfully her crush laughed along with everyone else though Hikari still did feel bad about teasing him for something he never did intentionally.

"Look, nobody is good enough for my baby sister, fact of life. Specially not these two geeks!" More laughter, but Hikari glared at her brother. He was being so rude! Who was he to tell her who she could be with? And to make fun of those who did like her and say they weren't good enough? Who did he think he was!

Unknown to her, Yamato had looked awkward and shifted in his sleeping bag. When Tai laid down, the talk between the two was stiff, forced. Being incredibly skilled at multitasking, Mimi nodded in all the right places and put in her two cents every now and again, all while observing the singer. _'My my, isn't this interesting? I wonder if Miyako knows our lone wolf is trying to figure out if he's good enough for the light? By the almighty brother's standards at least. I'll have to keep an eye on this one!'_

"_You're my Angel In The Night"_

* * *

Thank you so so so much for your wonderful response to this! I didn't think it'd be that popular~!  
Let me know what you think, even if it is just adding this to your fave list to show you like it~!  
Hope you enjoyed!


	3. The Story You Don't Know

It was early on a Saturday morning when Hikari opened the door. "Mimi? What's up?"

The girl was already barging in, kicking off her heels and dragging the brunette back to her room by the time she'd finished speaking. "You and I need to talk, Hikari-chan~!" Hikari managed to settle Mimi in the lounge, allowed a brief amount of time to shower and have breakfast before being submitted to the pink haired girl's assault. By the time she returned to the girl, Mimi said her mother had gone shopping, her dad was out and Tai had already gone to soccer. They were alone and with the glint in Mimi's eyes, that was definately not a good thing.

"So, what's up?"  
"Yamato."  
"What about him? You got a crush?" She tried to laugh but her mouth felt dry and her heart felt like a piece of paper that was used a mock basketball.  
"Don't be stupid. You know I'm with Koushirou. You're the one with the crush." Hikari could only sit, stunned. Maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising. She knew she was horrid at keeping secrets, and if Miyako knew, she could have easily told Mimi. Or Mimi could have figured it out herself - she always did have a keen nose for relationships.

"And so what if I do?" Keeping calm is what she'd do. She'd tell Mimi there was nothing she could do. Mimi would understand, she was purity after all.  
"Act on it, stupid! God, why are you and your brother so stubborn and stupid! Do you know how hard it is for me to put a plan in action when you're acting like that?"

Hanging her head, she wanted to cry. This was exactly what Miyako had said. This is exactly what she said to herself. _Why? Too much pain and suffering. I don't want to follow in Tai's footsteps. I don't want to ruin everyone!_

Mimi seemed to understand her thoughts, even though she didn't voice them. Sighing she sat next to the younger girl, placing an arm around her shoulder. "Miya and I both know and we're here for you. Don't keep this bottled up inside. It's not healthy. What you need to do is be honest. And that means with yourself as well!" That last bit was said more sternly, but she lightened up as she continued.

"It was easy for Koushirou and I. Everyone thinks we're cute and perfect opposites. When he asked me out, I instantly said yes. But it wasn't that easy for him. He thought he wasn't good enough, y'know? That he'd get turned down and teased for wanting to date someone out of his league. That our friendship would be ruined. That I'd mock him and things would be awkward." She smiled a bit, lost in remembering everything he'd told her. "He made one of those lists. You know, the ones that have the good and bad stuff written on different sides of the page?" Hikari nodded, wondering where this was going.

"There was some good things, but there were more bad things apparently. Teenagers can be so stupid, y'know? Like, butt out and just let people be happy! But anyway, even though the bad outweighed the good, he'd been honest. Plus, there was one thing that outweighed everything else. And it's simple. Four letter word, begins with 'l', ends in 'ove'. I know you feel that towards Yamato, so give it a go, 'kay?"

And with that, the pink haired girl left, leaving Hikari to her own thoughts and feelings.

:.:

"If she knew, Tai, Takeru and Daisuke would know too. And I'd be dead. So no, she doesn't know." Koushirou sighed and gave Yamato a look that clearly said he was acting like a petulant child.  
"Take a chance. I know that's basic and not helpful, but that's all I can say." He continued on, ignoring the blonde's snort. "She's out of your league, you say? She deserves better? She'll reject you? How do you think I felt with Mimi? She's all that and a bag of computer chips but she still said yes. Even if it didn't work out, we'd still have our..?"

"Friendship. Yeah yeah. That doesn't stop me from being murdered and not being good enough."  
"You don't need to be good enough. You just need to be there and care. Various quotes that I've found to support this say that your love should be your best friend. Friendship is your thing, Yamato! If she's worth it, you'll take that chance. If what you feel is really love, you'll take on any challenge and give it your all!"  
Sitting up and really looking at his friend, Yamato was stunned to see the usually quiet boy so passionate. _He's really changed a lot from being with Mimi_.

"Say I do confess and say she does accept. If we're honest to everyone, we won't last. Taichi will get nasty, Takeru will be destroyed and Daisuke will be lost. How does that work, Koushirou? How is that in everyone's best interests?"  
"It isn't. But love is war, is it not? Who cares about everyone else? Be selfish for once, Yamato. I'm sure Hikari needs to do the same." Seeing the older boy wasn't convinced, he tried once more. "It might just have to be the story that nobody else knows."

With the click of a door, Yamato was alone, left to think. The story nobody knows? To go around everyone's backs, like Taichi and Sora? But if he was happy... Hikari wouldn't do that anyway! ..Would she? But maybe... Maybe it didn't need to be like that. They were both single so they weren't cheating. It wasn't exactly the same situation. They could always say they didn't want the press to find out. That wouldn't be a complete lie either. Hikari would easily be harassed by the media and annoying fanbrats...

Sighing, the vocalist sat up, heading to his desk. Apparently some more emotional and head clearing lyrics were needed.

* * *

I wasn't actually planning to update this for another two weeks, but all my plots for my other stories are in a box in storage and I already had this written, luckily.  
The song for the basis of this chapter was "The Story You Don't Know" (Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari) by supercell.

Please review~!


	4. Things I'll Never Say

I knew Tai knew something was up. I could never keep anything from him. The fact that I'm tugging at my hair and pulling at my clothes doesn't help. It was hot but it wasn't hot enough to be fidgeting like I was! Ugh, why'd he have to be so difficult? Like always, he started innocently enough and then said something so out of the blue I was completely thrown off guard! I'm trying to keep my cool and I know it shows. Why'd he have to do this _now_? Why couldn't he have done this when I was with Sora, rather than pining after his sister?

"Yaaaaaamaaatooooooooo! Tell me already! What type of girl do you like? Tell me, tell me!"  
"I just said I didn't know, didn't I?" I couldn't help snapping at him. It's not like I could say "Your sisters pretty fine". I didn't feel like going to school with a black eye and my limbs in plaster because of Taichi's temper.  
"You must have _some_ type of idea!"  
"Why does it matter? And you don't seem to have a stable type either!"

The brunette started babbling about the similar features he had found in all of his girlfriends or girls he had liked along the line. A pretty smile, sporty type, not afraid to speak her mind... He's my friend and all, but he talks way too much. He knows I tune out all the time. Apart from the whole Hikari factor, this isn't exactly a comfortable talk considering he's dating my ex and has been since before she dumped me.

Usually, I'm fine with it. I can smile and act normal when we're all just friends. Sora and Taichi are more compatible and have more in common. I think I relied on Sora too much maybe. I don't know why she choose him and I don't care. I don't mind being with them, until they start acting cute. That still cuts me up. I still haven't fully forgiven them. They knew better and they knew my feelings for her were real. I guess I wish they'd just been more honest with me. Takeru had caught me out once - I'd written a song about it. I'd chucked it on the floor because I wasn't happy with how it sounded, but even if I had been, I wouldn't have performed it; the feelings were still too raw then. When I see them acting all lovey-dovey, I stare at my feet, or people watch, or read signs or _anything_. To this day, I still don't know the full details. I know they were dating behind my back and I'm pretty sure Taichi was the one who convinced her to drop me, but I don't know how long it went on or any other details. I guess ignorance is bliss, huh?

"YAMATO!"  
"What?!"  
"Well? Are you going to tell me?!"

I groaned; this is not how I wanted to spend my weekend! It was supposed to be relaxing and filled with lounging around and neglecting homework and annoying my neighbours by playing my guitar all night. But whenever Taichi starts something, he will finish it, whether it's a smart idea or not and whether whoever he's harassing wants him to or not. I put my head back and pretended to think. I didn't want to lie to him - the truth always came out in the end. But I couldn't be straight up honest with him either. When I spoke, I was cautious and slow, testing each word before I set it free.

"I guess... She needs to be able to handle my schedule with the band and not be pushy... It wouldn't hurt if she was pretty or smart, but not model-like or anything... I'd like a girl who's really kind and would get along with my friends... Ummm, perhaps someone who I've known for a while and could put up with my moods-"

That sent him into a right fit of laughter. I was irritated - I'd been honest and been relatively patient with his constant harassment for the last hour and here he was being a jerk. Whatever. At least I didn't have to deal with this stupid awkward question anymore. He kept laughing so I stood up, ready to leave. I don't need more of his shit.

He stopped instantly and I was almost to the lounge room before he spoke. "I didn't mean it... I just feel guilty. I took Sora away from you and I feel bad you're alone now." My fists clenched and my cheeks are turning red. There is no way he is doing this _now_. "We've never talked about it and I'm really sorry for the whole thing. I wanted to get all of this out in the open, Yamato." Somehow he'd snuck up behind me while he was speaking and had placed his hand on my shoulder.

_Just go away. I can't do this right now. Drop it Tai. _He kept talking, telling me he'd fallen for her before I had asked her out. He said he encouraged me to ask her out because he knew he'd been too slow. _Why encourage me to steal her from behind my back later? Traitor. _She'd told him to piss off at first apparently, but he'd been persistent as always. He knew he shouldn't have pursued her _(then you should have stopped before things got serious)_ but he hadn't thought she would agree. _Like that makes it better?_ It wasn't until Tai started mentioning certain things that Yamato could piece together dates and events. It had been going on far too long - how could they do that to him?!

"You know what Tai? I'm really not interested in talking to you anymore!" He wrenched his shoulder from the boy's grip and started stomping off towards the door. Tai ran after him, trying to apologise, say he didn't mean it, but Yamato tuned it all out. He thought he had and he had seriously hoped it had only been his imagination when he heard the original leader say "I know how you must feel-".

"How I feel? You don't know anything! If you had, you and Sora wouldn't have gone behind my back like cowards! _You're supposed to be my friend!_" With that, the brunette stopped and Yamato was able to leave without being dragged back again.

:.:

It'd been a week since then. Tai had tried to apologise a few more times, but I hadn't wanted to speak with him. Everyone knew something was wrong. We were best friends supposedly. The minute something happened between us the whole school was on us like white on rice. Thankfully the moron was being quiet about it this time; I don't think he'd even told the rest of the Chosen. For the most part, I sat in the music room. I had spent the first half of the week listening to my iPod but had changed to pestering my band mates to extra practice sessions. Sitting by myself had left me open for questions and harassment. I could tell most people to leave me alone and they'd agree, affronted by my snappish attitude. A glare would get rid of most of the others.

But Sora was immune to all my tricks. I'd snapped at her constant pestering. I had tried my hardest, honest I had, but how do you politely tell your ex-girlfriend that you're mad with her boyfriend because he tried to apologise for going behind you're back? I'm pretty sure she'd left in tears (I think I might have told her I deserved more than their backstabbing acts but I can't really remember) and that stung. I didn't love her anymore, but she was still my friend; friends didn't act like that. But friends don't act like her and Tai did either...

Sighing, I leant my forehead on my hand, ignoring the maths teacher. He was a stupid teacher and it was stupid subject. It's not like I was going to get much done in a mood like this anyway. This whole situation... It was so exhausting... I don't want to deal with it anymore...

:.:

We were talking again. It was forced and awkward, but we were somewhat normal again. Neither Sora or Taichi had wanted an apology - they weren't going to get one either. Sora had been crying the other day; Mimi had comforted her and the holder of love had explained the situation. Mimi had come over on the weekend. She'd been ridiculously loud so I couldn't even ignore her.

"Sora and Taichi were wrong, Yamato, we all know that. We all know that they are sorry even though they suck at showing it and apologising properly. We also all know that you haven't healed yet. Miyako and I yelled at Tai for those stupid questions he was asking you."

"He was trying to do the right thing..."

"At the wrong time and in the wrong way. Mostly." Mostly? She smiled as though she knew what I was thinking - I had always thought Mimi's intuition was slightly creepy. "Love can heal wounds y'know." I raised a brow at her. I had an idea where she was going with this, but she could say it herself. Mimi was the one person you didn't want to give ideas; she was far more intuitive and creative than Taichi was.

While I thought I knew where she was heading, I wish she hadn't said it so bluntly! It was like she didn't care (and was that smugness too?) when she just casually blurted out that I liked Hikari. Coke was not a good drink to have come out your nose. Mimi's expression summed up that pretty well too. Coughing and spluttering I asked her how she knew while I was cleaning up the mess I'd made.

"You're obvious. Or maybe I'm just too good~!" I gave her a look that clearly told her that wasn't the case. Laughing, she continued. "You shift and act all nervous, which I think is super cute by the way, and you treat her like gold. Not that you don't treat the rest of us like that, but it's different. You're treating her as a _girl_ rather than a _friend_. You stumble over your words or just say nothing at all; you put your enigma mask on when we all know you've got plenty to say. Tailmon got your tongue?" Giggling at her own joke, I couldn't help but smile at that one. I mumbled and made noises occasionally as she continued telling me how much like a neon sign I was. "So how are you going to ask her?"

I wish I had something more intelligible than "Huh?"  
"You're gonna ask her out, right?" It was my turn to laugh.  
"And get murdered by Tai, Takeru and Daisuke? You serious, Mimi?"

It wasn't long after that when she left. She didn't often get angry, but she seemed ropable then. She told me I was a coward and this longing was just going to make me feel worse, both about Hikari and the whole Tai/Sora thing. The door shut behind her and sighing, I mumbled that she was right.

:.:

I had a folder full of uncompleted, unwanted and useless lyrics on my shelf. It was the same folder that contained songs that were too personal (you'd think I'd hide them in a different place, wouldn't you?). I placed the folder back up, after adding the new lyrics.

Ultimately, Mimi was right. I did often run from my problems and avoidance always made things worse. But at the same time, asking Hikari out wasn't going to be a walk in the park. I'm always nervous around her, trying to be so perfect. Not that I'm underestimating myself or anything, but I think she deserves better - I'm not exactly easy to handle and she can be pretty delicate at times. I'm rough around the edges and I have trouble interacting with others, even though I'm a million times better than when I went to summer camp all those years ago. But she's worth the best and I don't think that's me.

But, if I could say what I wanted to say, I'd tell her I cared and wanted to spend all my time with her. I'd give her my jacket when she forgot her own and I'd tease her for being forgetful. My dad teased me about marrying Sora, but I can see myself marrying Hikari a lot easier than I ever did with Sora. But what good is this? _I wish, I want, I should, I could, Maybe if I..?_ There's not point unless I can say it. It's just a waste of time.

Hikari already has plenty to worry about anyway. What use are my thoughts and feelings that even I have a hard time reigning in to her? She's so much more composed and collected - not always, she's not perfect like Takeru and Daisuke seem to think. At least they can hint at it though. If I can't say it for real, I might as well be taking a step back. _Why can't things be easier? Why can't I just say I care?_

Guess I'm wishing my life away with these things I'll never say...

* * *

Realised I stuffed up the end of the first part, perspective wise, but I really don't have time to change it. Ugh.  
Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought!


	5. Ice Cream Syndrome

Afternoon rays swept across his bedroom floor and the soft sounds of a guitar being strummed echoed through the almost empty apartment. All day he'd been absorbed in writing this song and he felt he was almost done. It was rare that he found he wrote a 'perfect' song, but when he did, he never showed them to anyone. They were the pieces he kept secret, containing messages, meanings and emotions far too personal or raw to have to _explain_ their meaning in proper words to others.

Things hadn't changed since his talk with Mimi. He'd rehearsed a few lines, wondering how he could phrase things to Hikari without scaring her off, ways to convince her to keep it a secret, that it wouldn't be bad at all. Every time he did though he just felt like a rock had sunk to the pit of his stomach and he abandoned the idea all together.

As such, life continued on. As a group, the Chosen went to the zoo and he walked with Hikari for a bit. For various reasons, he'd been close to the brunette for so long and they could talk about anything without worries. Nothing had changed much since they were kids and she looked up to him, respectfully listening but giving her own opinion too. He kinda wanted those days back - things were so much simpler when you were a kid, right?

Somewhere along the line, Hikari had started acting like a posh lady (apparently it was some in joke or another), though her little act broke down with a few prods from the second generation of Chosen. He laughed with the rest of them, glad she wasn't one of those girls who put on airs, but rather one who stayed true to herself (unless she thought it was the best for those around her).

The sun was shining down and they stopped for drinks in a cute cafe at the bay before they all parted, going their seperate ways. Waving goodbye, the blonde wondered Hikari would ever react in any of the scenarios he had ever thought of, or if she would blow him out of the water by doing something completely different. Leaving his brother, he walked into the local conbini, grabbing some milk and snacks. Before checking out, a manga caught his eye. It was the one he and Tai used to read as kids.

If he and Hikari did go out, what would Tai do? Even if he were mad to begin with (which, as a friend and someone who tore up his old relationship, he had no right to be), would things get better? _Could we laugh together like old times?_ Grabbing the book, he paid and left, still pondering his situation.

His father had been no help. He said he could either go for it, leave it, or find another girl as a distraction and left it at that. Yamato had a feeling he wanted to say more, but simply couldn't put it into words. The blonde had a feeling his father didn't want to give him advice that would lead his son into a similar situation as himself either, wanting to prevent that type of pain and fighting with someone you were once so close to. He wished his father could just say so though, rather than being standoffish or secretive. Hiroaki was the reason he had developed a similar attitude after all, wouldn't it be better if he were more open in order to try and get Yamato to be a more open person to? But he knew that was easier said than done. People couldn't just change over night; even if they wanted to, sometimes there just wasn't the time or courage to be able to do so.

Sighing, he picked up his guitar and started replaying his latest song, one he was sure would go straight to number one if The Wolves released it. But until the situation was resolved, _Ice Cream Syndrome_ would remain his secret problem, one that would hopefully heal quickly and without hassle.

Laughing, her eyes flickered to him before looking away just as quickly. Stealing glances made her feel guilty; she figured that if she ever did go out with him she wouldn't feel this guilty - even if she did, at least she'd be happy at the same time. Courage wasn't her thing though, so going through with what felt like a huge decision was ridiculously frightening to her. If it had been someone else she liked, she would have gone to Sora, asking for help, but that option wasn't exactly appropriate either.

After all, she was the one who broke Yamato's heart (though hopefully he was over her by now - he might have to be smacked around a few times if he wasn't) but she was supposed to be both their friends too. As the holder of the crest of love, she should have been maybe been able to lead her to right path to take, but considering her paths had ended in awkward tension and fighting, her advice probably wasn't the best to take. Additionally, unlike Mimi or Miyako, she couldn't trust Sora to be secretive about the whole thing, since she was dating Tai. If she did tell the older girl about her feelings and they were relayed to Tai, she wouldn't begrudge her; after all, they were dating and you shouldn't keep secrets from who you're with (though she'd kept Tai a secret from Yamato, so maybe she could keep a secret...).

But that wasn't going to get her anywhere, was it? What she had to decide was how long this act would continue? If they were going to be _anything_, Yamato couldn't keep being the best friend. While she might say it was okay if they were apart, did she really mean that? He'd gone on tour last year and she'd fretted all month, unable to get him out of her head, emailing him constantly. Reality was always different to what you tried to make it, wasn't it?

Once, she joked about them being together. That had been when he was still happy with Sora, so nobody had taken her seriously, simply laughing at her. Had he thought it was a joke? Maybe he had thought she was merely infatuated - the younger sister longing after the brother's best friend was a common plot after all. Had he thought those words had simply rolled off her tongue without worry? In truth, she had just blurted them out, but the words had been prophetic. At least that's what she felt now. Back then, it was a joke, but now those words rung in her ears, as if forcing her to be... _Something_.

She couldn't be spontaneous or truthful now. She had no idea what was stopping her really. Daisuke was probably just crushing, and Takeru, while he maybe liked her, kind of gave her mixed signals at times. If they really cared, along with Taichi, they'd leave her alone and be happy for them. But despite all the reasons she could list to tell herself to _just go for it_, the words she wanted to let out of her heart ("_I really want to be with you!_") just refused to reach her mouth.

The back of his shirt was damp with sweat as they sat, chatting and laughing over the day they'd just shared. This Yamato, the laughing, happy, gorgeous, smart, friendly, sensitive, idiotic, best friend, protector and _so much more_ was the one she wanted to make her own. He may be the lone wolf band leader with a great voice and body to all his fangirls, and true, that was another side to him, and the brunette could accept that side too. She loved it as well, but she loved the rest of him too and wanted to make him know that.

But that was another thing she couldn't burn into her mind. Them being together, laughing and smiling together, holding hands under the table, pulling each other's hair, feeding each other and being cutely lovey-dovey and adorable, much like Mimi and Koushirou were being across the table. There really wasn't much else she wanted though (well, she could do without the hair pulling and the feeding each other to be honest; the complete adoration was something she longed for though).

Seperating at the train station, watching him and Takeru leave, the young woman thought that people weren't permanent. Maybe things would change in time and she would get her happy ending, even if it was just for a brief moment. Or maybe this was his permanent stage and maybe the Yamato she could see was what was really happening - him walking away, far away. Maybe he'd end up with someone else after all, simply fading from her life (with the way he and Taichi were constantly fighting now days, she wouldn't be surprised if that was the case).

With that thought, she felt her heart split in two. Taichi asked what was wrong (the annoying thing about older brother's was that they always seemed to know when your mood changed, but always seemed to want to fix it, despite what you wanted). The brunette simply shook her head slightly, looking up at the clear blue sky. _It seemed to be mirroring my feelings_, she thought vaguely, as a plane split the canvas in two. Walking home in the spring heat, she was reminded that it would be over soon; winter would soon settle in, leaving these holidays and days spent with friends far away. _The season is already leaving._

She wondered if he felt the same way. What if he was feeling the same way right now? Did he feel just as powerless and confused, like an idiot with no strength or courage to do anything useful? Hikari both doubted and believed that at the same time. After all, he was older and held an air of maturity and strength around him, but he was also sensitive and cool enough to woo thousands of girls with hand writing melodies. _I suppose it's just not something I'm supposed to know, is it?_

_Even in this blurring world, you continue to remain perfectly clear. _He understood Hikari - she was like an open book after all, so it wasn't particularly difficult, but he didn't even feel that way with his brother sometimes. Maybe it was because they were so different, that they conflicted so often and argued occasionally. So perhaps it was a good thing he and Hikari were similar, at least in some ways. He never had to wonder if what he was saying was 'right' when he was around her (for that, he was incredibly thankful).

But, friendship was a tricky thing. He felt like he'd never be escape the various ties it had made. Escape? That wasn't something he wanted to do at all! Maybe just untangle them a bit, set them out clearly. Make it less of a maze, perhaps. But moving was hard. Making a step in the right direction... It really was all he wanted. Cowardice was all that was stopping him. But fate isn't something that waits. Nor is time - depending on how much longer he _hmmed_ and dithered around, Hikari could end up with someone else.

He couldn't allow that to happen. Right now, he wanted to see her, despite only seeing her a few hours ago. Was that what they called love? Whatever it was, he didn't really care, it was true and that was all that mattered. He wanted to call her and he'd like to think he'd be serious and cool about it (though the blonde had a feeling his voice would be unsteady and nervous) and call her out to meet him. To be honest, face to face, no worries, just truthful - that was what he wanted.

Sitting up from his position sprawled on his bed, he made up his mind. The memory of Hikari today, smiling and laughing, walking next to him - it wasn't going to be a memory for much longer. He was going to make it a reality, something that happened far more often, something that, occasionally, would happen just because of him, just _for_ him.

The feelings she left with him... It was like he could still her voice ringing in his ears, like she was right there, as though she were close enough for him to reach out to her. Every time they were together, things seemed brighter. So that was the reality he would make.

The only question left was when.

* * *

"Ice Cream Syndrome" is by Sukima Switch and was used a theme for one of the newer Pokemon movies - it's an absolutely gorgeous song and I suggest you go listen to it!  
Let me know if you enjoyed the chapter by reviewing!


	6. Understanding

It wasn't often that they, the Chosen Children, were all able to catch up so they usually took every opportunity to do so. Sometimes, those opportunities presented themselves in ways he'd usually say no to. Currently, Yamato was sitting outside, a party happening in the house behind him. Something about the soccer team? He honestly didn't know or care.

Taichi had invited him, trying to be friendly and remove the awkwardness between them. He'd said no a few times but eventually learned that Daisuke would be attending (and he'd more than likely drag Ken along, despite the fact he didn't go to the same school) - Takeru would as well (perhaps it was a ball sport party?). To top it off, Hikari was going to interview some people and take pictures for the school paper as well as to be with her friends. Taichi didn't think anything of him changing his mind, simply taking it as him given in to the brunette's pestering as he usually did.

Yamato had been inside for all of half an hour before he'd gotten annoyed and sat outside. It was hard to believe that some of the people in there were the same age as he was. He was thinking of bailing - he could always catch up with Hikari later and he didn't want to keep sitting in the hot air looking like a grump. He stood up, taking his phone out of his pocket and started walking. Half way through his message to Taichi ("I'm not feeling so good, so I'm heading home") he heard his name being called.

Turning back around, he saw Hikari and Daisuke waving. Deleting what he'd written, he strolled back to where he'd been, only half paying attention as Daisuke blabbered away about soccer and how they'd won and how he was going to get better to beat Ken, rolling his eyes good naturedly at Hikari who stiffled a giggle.

Two hours later and he was inside again. The party wasn't as bad as he thought (though the music was definitely not to his taste) though he was still considering going home. He'd danced a bit and was dragged into a game of Twister, but he was starting to realise that things weren't going to plan. When Hikari and he had danced, he felt his heart pound and his palms get clammy. But he also felt her tense and be awkward. Twister was much the same - she refused to look at him and laughter was forced.

Eventually she came over to get a drink and they stood side by side in yet another awkward silence. One of her girlfriends came along and she chatted comfortably with her. A male classmate decided he was thirsty too and Hikari spoke to him happily enough (well, before the classmate decided he'd like to be more than that, to which Yamato called out to Taichi; Taichi was nowhere within hearing range, but the idiot ran off anyway). That, at least, got him a small smile. He decided to bite the bullet and go for it.

"Hikari?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so tense tonight? I don't want to be rude, but I'm getting weird vibes from you. We're friends, right?"

She looked up at him, a slight frown on her face. In the end, she plastered the fakest grin he'd ever seen on her face and injected false happiness in her voice. "Of course we are! I'm just worried about a few other things, school and all, y'know?"

"Ah, I see. Let me know if I can help with anything, okay?"

"Sure."

She left to actually do her job while Yamato went to sit outside, feeling worse than he had before they'd spoken. With a sigh, he grumbled about how he should have just stayed home.

. .

Daisuke laughed with his friends, watching Yamato and Hikari part ways. Ditching the conversation, he went to the bathroom. Splashing water on his face, he tried to imagine the water going down the drain was the sadness he was feeling. For the longest time, he'd thought Takeru was his only rival but from watching the two of them, it was clear that Takeru was the least of his problems.

Daisuke couldn't even feel glad that Yamato didn't seem to be getting the desired results. _Hell, if Yamato can't win her over, how could I? _Daisuke wouldn't give up, of course, but he wasn't going to cause trouble - Yamato was his senpai and friend; he owed a lot to the blonde and honestly, he had a lot more going for him. Of course, 'the heart wants what the heart wants' or some bullshit like that, but Yamato had known her longer, knew her family, been through (more) life and death situations with her, was older and more mature, better looking and had all the other girls after him. He treated his girlfriends right (Daisuke had never had one but he knew he'd like to be as good of a boyfriend to any partner he would have as Yamato had been to Sora), he was pretty easy going, smart and the list could just go on. Daisuke wasn't at the bottom of the pile or anything, but… Well, he wasn't Yamato.

He wasn't going to give up. That wasn't the Motomiya way to do things. But if Hikari decided she liked Yamato, he'd do his best to make sure his friends ended up happy. That was friendship, right? It was courage too - doing things that are hard, because its the right thing to do.

Someone banged on the door, yelling at him to hurry up. He sighed and shook himself, forcing a smile. He'd made up his mind, but that didn't mean it would be easy to go through with it. Opening the door, he laughed sheepishly, hoping that the pain in his chest wasn't showing on his face.

. .

"You okay man?" Someone sat beside him and Yamato didn't need the voice to tell him who it was - Taichi always sat closer than he needed to.  
"Haven't been feeling that great tonight. I was going to leave earlier before Daisuke and Hikari dragged me in."  
"I saw you looking-"

Taichi paused and Yamato could have swore his heart stopped. _Looking? At what? Where? Who?_ As he was getting more and more panicked, ready to start defending himself, Taichi sneezed loudly.

"Ugh, I hope I'm not getting a cold. What was I saying?" Yamato wanted to hit him. A sneeze?! He was panicked over a goddamn sneeze?! God, this whole love nonsense was going to kill him!

"Oh yeah! I saw you looking after her earlier. I'm glad I can count on you. Honestly, I'm an idiot and all, so I don't know what I ever did to deserve a friend like you, Yamato."

Annnnd now he just felt like scum. _You wouldn't be saying that if you knew I was crushing on your sister. _He laughed, and pushed the topic in another direction. He liked Hikari but Taichi was his friend - they'd been through a lot together and while Taichi had screwed up, Yamato wanted to be friends with him again before he decided to approach Hikari, just in case Taichi thought it was a petty way of getting back at him or something stupid.

_Better to be safe than sorry, after all._

. .

"He's super reliable, you know?" Hikari excused herself from the lunch table - she thought about Yamato, his flaws, his good points, the way his hair shined under different lighting, and everything else enough as it was; she didn't need to listen to Takeru brag about how amazing his brother was.

Sitting outside, she got out her phone. For the last twenty minutes of lunch, she tapped away on the small pink device, deleting, starting again, getting more and more frustrated. She tried her best not to cry as her fingers became more frantic, spilling out her feelings.

_How do I tell him? But what of Takeru? Daisuke? Taichi? I wish I could go to Sora. Please help! I feel guilty about the entire thing. Does he even feel the same? What if he doesn't? What if Sora still likes him? Mimi, I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to hurt everyone else, but I don't want to hurt anymore either. I wish all of this would just go away._

By the end of the day, she had her response.

_Hikari, stop it. You're making a bigger deal out of this than you need to. The only way to get rid of this is to be honest with him. Tell him how you feel - I have quite the hunch that you'll be received warmly. About everyone else? Screw them! Be happy, Hikari. Because if you can't live happily, can you really live at all?_

* * *

Sorry for how short it is. I didn't have any musical inspiration this time (though I was listening to AKB48's new single Sayonara Crawl). Next chapter is in two weeks; Sora and Takeru both have a few words they'd like to say. Stay well!


	7. Pretty Boy

"I can't give you any more advice. Either tell him how you feel or shut up. Its harsh, but thats how it is. He isn't psychic, Hikari-chan."  
"But _how_ do I say it? I can't just blurt it out!"

"Of course you can. People make love far too complex. If you love someone, tell them. It doesn't mean you'll get married or even have a nice relationship, hell, you might not even have a relationship at all. But at least you were honest. At least the other party knows where you stand. It will clear your head on the matter too."

"If you say so…"

"I do say so, so go do it and don't come back until you have!" With that, Hikari was shoved out of Mimi's apartment, left to ponder how to slay the problem at hand.

. .

Not two days later was she bedridden. Again, it was a minor illness that would have slowed normal people down, but nope, not her. Gotta kick her in the gut and then run her over with a truck. Takeru had been bringing over her school work, which she was slowly attempting to complete (one sheet every two hours… she might as well be going backwards…). He had basketball club today, so he'd be around tomorrow.

When had she fallen asleep? But still, this was a nice dream. Yamato had come to bring her her notes! He asked her how she was and she mumbled something dumb; even in her dreams she was sick! That was pretty sucky. For a while, she listened to him, hmming and nodding every now and again. Most of the words coming out of his mouth were blurred and jumbled, making no sense whatsoever, but he had a pretty mouth so where was the harm of letting him talk? He had pretty eyes too, for that matter. And hair…

"You're reallllly pretty, y'know?"

He blinked, a bit startled. Why? Ah! He isn't used to such a normal declaration. Silly dream-Yamato! Her eyes tried to follow his hand as it moved towards her, but she ended up making herself tired and making her headache worse. But his hand… it felt cool against her skin, soft and caring. Hikari could feel him brushing stray hairs away and sighed contently.

"You obviously aren't well. Takreu said he thought you were getting better. He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about." Why was dream-Yamato bitter? They hadn't made plans had they? Was she ruining something? Hikari forced an apology from her throat.

Yamato merely shook his head and smiled. "Go back to sleep, Hikari. I'll leave you to get your rest. Get better soon."

Sleep? She was already asleep! Did that mean he wanted her to wake up then? Whatever, dream-Yamato was weird. Yawning, she closed her eyes.

When she woke up that night, she didn't remember anyone visiting, only a vague dream of a blonde hair guitarist.

. .

"Its been a while, hasn't it?"  
"I guess so…" This was _so_ not what he wanted to be doing right now! Sora had cornered him and decided she wanted to chat. Yeah, that was great and he wanted to be friends with her again, but… just not now!  
"How have you been?"  
"Good… What about you?" He _hated_ small talk! You should either have something interesting to say or nothing at all.

"Confused."  
"Oh?"  
"I've been figuring some things out and I don't really know if I agree with it."  
"And?"  
"You have a crush on Hikari, don't you?"

Well _shit._ Its not exactly like he was Mr Subtle with all the puppy looks he'd been giving her. "What makes you say that?"

"The last three outings we've had as a group, you've barely left her side. Whenever she comes back from seeing Takeru, you always seem to be mentioned. You were with her at the party the other night. Taichi said you were the first to visit; Takeru doesn't count, he had an obligation to do so. Its in your songs, your looks. I know you, Yamato. You can't hide from me."

He wasn't sure what it was about Sora's words exactly, but they irritated him. "Whoever said I was hiding? From you or anyone else? And really, I don't think you know me as well as you think you do, Sora. But back to the matter; you said you don't know if you agree. What exactly do you mean by that?" As he continued to speak, his tone has gotten harsher and his volume had risen, though he still wasn't shouting. He had turn to glare at his ex-girlfriend who was sporting a displeased look.

"What about Tai-"

"No. I'm sure you and Taichi weren't thinking 'what about Yamato?' when you were fooling around. She isn't in a relationship, and even if she was, I have every right to feel however I damn well please. Just because I have a crush doesn't mean I'm going to act on it. If you're only going to spout nonsense, I'm leaving."

"Yamato-!"

"Don't care!"

Childish, but it was true. It wasn't the smartest thing to do though. Sora was probably going to grumble about it and Taichi would eventually find out but what did it matter? He was an open book to all of his friends and he was honestly lucky to have gotten this far without getting 'caught'. What he said was true though - he was allowed to feel anything, good or bad or complicated. Whether he acted on those feelings was another thing entirely.

. .

Jun stared at her bedroom wall. In the centre, there was a black and white poster of Yamato. Next to it, a framed autograph. _Jun, thanks for the support! Stay well, Yamato. _Sometimes, she imagined she could hear him call from the paper, the the photos winked at her as she passed them.

Daisuke had been off lately. She wasn't often the sister that was kind and caring, preferring to be almost brutally honest and a bit too rough, but even she could see how hurt he was. Finally, he realised others were seriously interested in Hikari and perhaps, he really didn't have a chance. She knew the feeling - she used to lie awake and pray Yamato would look her way. Daisuke's face was filled with longing for Hikari, right from the moment he realised girls didn't have cooties. Jun knew her face was home to the same look.

But they were Motomiya's! They didn't back away from a challenge! She encouraged Daisuke to talk to Hikari, to get the truth from her, rather than just figure things out for himself (because they were Motomiya's, sometimes they ignored facts in favour of their emotions…). It was probably the first time he'd taken her advice. And unfortunately, his heart got crushed in the process.

But it was mending. Hikari wasn't cruel or unkind. She was sympathetic (empathetic would probably be a better term, but the first still stood) and told Daisuke that their friendship honestly meant more than a boy (Jun -who certainly had not been eavesdropping from the hallway- had not been impressed with that; what friendship is worth more than Yamato's love?). They could still be friends. There was no hard feelings, just simple explanations and a lot of grit to eventually become accepting.

Jun smiled as she looked down at the posters and memorabilia, now on the floor. _A lot of grit, huh? Thats something us Momtomiya's are good at!_ Daisuke wasn't the only one who had to move on. She messaged Yamato, wishing him good luck (in more ways than one), saying she'd still be there to support and help him, before joining her brother in devouring all the comfort foods their apartment had to offer.

. .

Valentine's Day was both the best and worst day ever. Having so many male friends, she had a lot of chocolate to make. Then she wondered how divide it; she wanted to make it clear Yamato's chocolate wasn't just _giri-choco,_ but actual _I maybe kinda really like you_ chocolate without being too obvious and hurting anyone else. Hikari was honestly at a loss; she'd never loved anyone like she loved Yamato. But she was learning. Hikari was becoming more confident around him, learning to start expressing herself more. Of course, it was still subtle, still in the baby steps stage, but she'd get there. _But will I get there in time? _

. .

"Takeru, just don't."  
"If you've given up, why should I? It'd be rude not to repay her for the chocolates, too!"

Daisuke was torn. He knew about Hikari's affections. She'd been honest with him. But she hadn't told Takeru yet. Takeru was planning an elaborate White Day event; y'know, a restaurant, fancy gift, beach side walk and all that cheesy stuff. All of it for nothing. Hikari had trusted him not to say anything until she was ready. But Takeru was his friend too. Was it fair to let him put so much energy into this, something he's wanted for so long only to get crushed when the time came to cash in? Was it fair to let him hope?

Another week went by before he made his decision. _Meet me after practice, at the bridge. _Confused, Takeru met him. "It isn't my business to say this, but I don't want either of you to get hurt. I don't want you to be embarrassed or hurt, or angry at me later for not telling you…"

Angry was almost an understatement. First the blonde was disbelieving, thinking it was a cruel joke, but his expression hardened when he realised Daisuke was telling the truth. He shouted at him, still calling foul, lie, _you want her for yourself_, before shoving him to the ground and running off. Daisuke picked himself up, wincing a little. _Please let me have made the right choice. _

. .

The door opened with such a force that it hit the wall and started to close again. "Yamato!"  
"Takeru, be quiet, you'll disturb the neighbours!"  
"I don't care about your crappy neighbours! What the hell was with what Daisuke said?!"

Yamato sighed, shoulders tense and a weight in his stomach. Everyone was on his case lately! _But better sooner than later, I suppose._ "I'd appreciate it if you did care a little more. And I have no idea what Daisuke said. Do explain."

"You. Like. Hikari." Saying each word seemed to hurt Takeru, and Yamato could only imagine knives going through the younger boy's heart. It hurt his own to know he was doing that. "Is it true? Is he bullshitting? Well?"

He stopped for a moment before sighing again. "He isn't."

The brothers stood in silence for a few moments. Yamato stared at the wall, his face almost annoyed. _Because its so wrong for me to crush on someone when someone else is too, huh? Sorry, I'll just tell my heart to stop being so rude to everyone. _Takeru stared at him, shocked, stunned, confused, angry. His chest heaved and his hands clenched. Eventually, he turned and walked to the door.

Yamato followed. "Takeru, wait. C'mon, let's try and talk about this. Why do you think I haven't done anything? I respect you, kiddo-"

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. Takeru spun around and his fist met his brother's nose. Yamato fell to the floor as Takeru yelled over the top of him. "How could you!? Don't lie to me!"

"You're being ridiculous!' He couldn't help it, this was ridiculous. Everyone was getting pissed at him for now valid reason!

With that, the two brothers, once so close, ended up sprawling across the floor, knocking over a half dead plant. Yamato knew he would be bruised tomorrow - Takeru was letting out all his anger and frustration on him; hopefully, if he did that now, they could have a reasonable discussion soon. He wasn't as aggressive as Takeru and his hits were more to try and knock the boy off (or back into his senses) though neither seemed to happen.

Hiroaki returned to find one son bleeding, not bothering to get up from the floor, and the other running out in angry, betrayed tears. "Do I want to know?" Yamato grunted in response. "I'll go start dinner then."

His fans always said how pretty he was, how it was part of his appeal, how much they loved him for it. They wanted him to love them back, to be brought into his world, to stand by his side. Would they still think that way now? Crushing his brother's dreams, causing rifts between friends - just because of a crush? Is that the type of guy they idolised? Really, if thats the type of person he was, he really wasn't too pretty after all.

* * *

Song - Pretty Boy, M2M. Last chapter felt off - I didn't use a song for it! That would explain it~ But anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter; things start happening a lot quicker from now on.


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